Releasably closed opening for containers



Feb. 23; 1932. I J THEBAUD 1,846,922

RELEASABLY CLOSED OPENING FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 10, 1929 -50 of Figure 1,

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 PATENT Lem-B JOHN EDWARD mamma nonrn nRcnAnrvI- m, JERSEY .imtEAsABLY orosnn'ornnme non conrnrnnns f Application flled Ma 10,1929. Seria1"No. 362,0 10.

.ilik. figures of reference refer to likeparts.

This invention relatesto .releasably closed openings .for containers, more particularly for.-milk bottles. Milk bottles are commonly anarrow annular ledge inside the mouth of the bottle and below the top, providing va-seat for the fiat, paraflined, cardboard cap, the

, k edge of which fits tightly, allaround, into the 10 bottle mouth forming a continuous andcoma plete seal for closingthe bottle. 1 These caps,

with the formation of the bottle, as now used, are very difiicultto remove, unless a sharpv instrument is forced into the cap over theunsupported area'within the seat; If the bot tle happens to be full, any sudden pressure upon this unsupported area of this cap. w ll cause splashing.v :It is therefore one ofthe objects of mysin- :96 vention to so formthe bottle or container,

inside the mouth thereof, thatfon'e .will'qbe' able to get hold of thecap to remove 1t, by theuse of an ordinary fork prongor similar instrumentforced under the cap edge, rather than within the central unsupported areaof In order to penetrate below the cap at its edge; to pry it up, there must, in any-eve nt, be "anunsupported area. and tlllSfI prov de outside the capflseat itself, by surroundlng the seat with an annular groove,fo'r depression, next to and'inside thereof the inner wall of the bottle mouth, so that the cap edge, at any point, where it is'normally infrictional, sealing contact, can be penetrated or gotten under with a pointed instrument to pry the nd Another object is to provide a firmer seating'for the cardboard cap;

I Variousforms of my invention adapted to other forms of containers, as well as to milk bottles, are illustrated in the drawings, are hereinafter described, the. use is explained and what I claim is set forth.

.Inthe drawings, i f

I .Figure is a plan of a top of a milk bottle and cap embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a section takenion the line 2-2 V p y of bottle-top, showin'g'the groove, cap and' formed with. I

Figure is a .perspective view of. an 0r= dinary flat cardboardmilk bottle cap. 1 I

Figure .4 is-an enlarged sectionof one side seat more plainly.

1.. Figure 5 is a sectionalviewof one side-of. a container top, ofsheet material, I

Figure 6 is a modification, in secti0n, sh'owing my. invention embodied,- as. a seating,- in the mouth of a sheet metal rimmed fibre, or paper container. Y

Figure 7 is aisection of a fragment of another form embodying my invention. w

. In the figures, referring. particularly to V Figuresl, 2 and r3,tightly fitting 'within the walllO, of. the mouth: 11,- of the upper fragment of milk bottle 12, is the usual form of fiat paraflined 'cardboardcapordisclB,

.The edge'ofthecap 13 is thus left unsupport ed; except for itsforced, peripheral frictionalcontact with the 'wall 10;

In order to drain the groove 15, Iprov'i'de 7,5

. vertical,channelsil6, onythe inner'wall of the "bottle, reaching from the bottom of the groove 15, down towardtheinside of the neck of the bottle.

- In Figure 4:, the groove 15is shown" to be 2 conically inclined at 17, at a less angle to the plane of the cap, where it meets-the seat 14, thanis shown in Figure 2. l3 is the bentdown, brokenline position of the edge of the cap 13, into the groove 15.

In Figure 5 .We havea sectional viewtof a fragment of a sheet metal container mouth 18, having a rollededge 19.; In frictionalco n tact with the inner wall 20, is'the' cap 13, and below the edge 21, of which, iiithis' figuretis the groove 22. '23 is the body of thecontainer. 21 is the. bent-down, broken line position of the cap edge 21, into thegroove '22;

'In'Figure G-I 'shOWafragmentof a fibre or paper container 2 1, terminating in atop edge '25. Fixed to the loodyof the container- 24, is the ring 26, of sheet materiaLhaving'a'skiit 27,1 fixed on the wall of the container 24,1and positioned a little below the edge 25." The ledge 28, .in. conjunction with the wall 29,

forms with the upper part of the container,

an annular groove 30, below and outside of the edge 25; The top edge 25 forms a seat for the cardboard cap 31, which is in frictional contact with the wall 29, of the ring 26.

In Figure 7 is shown an extra circumferential ledge 32, forming an auxiliary seat, surrounding-the groove 15, on. a level with the seat 14. V p

The construction above described in connection withthe figures, provides means en-- abling one to force thepoint of an instrument 33, such as the prong of'a fork, below the'edge' of the cap 13 at its peripheral, frictional continuous contact with the wall 10, down into the groove 15, to pry oil the cap 13. Y

I have found it easy to lift the cap; 13 with the" prong of a; fork, bymoving the. .prong forward around the cap edge breaking its peripherial, frictional contact with the wall, after forcing the point of the prong beneath the edge of the cap intothe'groove. The cap edge, in this case, easily slides between the thumb and thefork prong during the circumferential movement and is readily lifted off.

In case milk enters the groove 15, it can find its way back intothe bottle, down by way of the vertical channels.

In oonnection with the cap 13, it will be observedthat if the presentdia-meter of cap isretained, then the opening in the top of the bottle, at-the .cap seat, will be a little smaller,

' so.- as to allow space, within the wall 10. for

thegroove 15 belowthercap edge. This .reduction in the. diameter of the cap seat somewhat reducesflthe' unsupported centralv area ofthe cap, andcoupled with-the factthat.

the-seatis .radially spaced from the frictional contact of the cap edge with the inside wall of the bottle mouth, there is a stiffening ing a stronger seating to the cap. inthe bottle... I

This invention is applicable to other forms of containers than milk bottles as above pointed '-out. Paper cups for ice cream and other food stuffs wherein a cardboard cap is used, can have their tops formed embodying my invention foreasy opening.

Inasmuch as other modifications of my invention, other than those herein illustrated anddescribed, can be made without departingfrom' the spirit and scope of my invention, Idesire to include all forms which come within thepurview of the following claims.

1. A releasably closed opening for acontainer comprising combination, amouth wall to said opening, a-seat spaced from said wall, a groove next to said wall, surrounding said seatandbelow the same and a fiat cap resting upon said seat, having its edge in contact with said wall and having a portion of said cap between its edge and saidseatuneffect given to the cap when in place,'afl'ord-- supported and spaced fromthe bottom of e 7 contact with saidwall, and in contact with said'seatfa nd extending over said grooved portion in spaced relation with .-the;bottom of-said groove,-whereby a pointedwinstrument can be forced beneath. the edge ofIsaid top.

3. A releasably closed opening for anontainer, comprising in combination, a mouth wall to said opening, an annularledge with-1 in said wall, forming a cap seat, a second cap seat in the plane of said. first mentionedcap sea-t, smaller than the same and in spaced .re

lation with the same an annular groove between saidseats, below thewplane of said seats, and a flatcap in contact with said seats, in spaced relation with the bottom of said groove.

a-cap seat spacedwithin said wall, a groove surrounding saidseat next to said wall, and

positioned below the .planeuof. said seat, draining channels leadingfrom said groove into. the cavity of said; container, and a .cap positioned on :said seat in spaced relation with the bottom of said groove, the edgeof said cap being in continuous peripheral contact with said wall.

5. Ina container havinga mouth wall,'a

cap seat and a cap, a releasably closed openin affording means permitting the use of a pointed lifting instrument thrust below the edge of the saidcap whilefin placeon saidseat, comprising an inner mouthwall, a-cap seatspaced horizontally within said wall and in the plane of the lower portion; of said wall, a cap, resting on said seat-and .in frictional peripheral contact, continuously,.wit h the said lower-portion of said'wall, and a grooved portion to'said opening, positioned to be wholly within the said lower portion of said wall'andsurroundingsaid'seat, and below the plane of said .seat, afiordingi,a space below the edgeofsaid cap on said seat, into which to enter a pointed instrument,'at and below the said cap edge, whereby said cap can be readily raised off saidseat. by liftstrument. I I r 6. A releasably closed opening for a container, having a body wall, said opening com ing from below, with the point of said .in-

cap,into said groove to pry said cap ofisaid' releasably closed opening for con- 'tamers, comprislng a contalnerimouth wall,

prising, a ring integral with the said body wall, said ring being of sheet material, and formed having a seat portion, a grooved portion below the plane of said seat, a'wall portion to said ring, having its inner surface merging below into the converging surface of said grooved portion, and a cap disc in peripheral, frictional cont-act with the lower part of said wall portion, aflfording a construction, whereby a pointed instrument can be thrust below said edge into said groove to lift off said cap from said ring.

JOHN EDWARD THEBAUD. 

